


Limerence

by scarslikeconstxllations



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Curiosity, Different creatures, Divergence From the Series, F/M, Hetero I Guess, I'm Soooo Creative, I'm Sorry, Marinette Is Mysterious, No Sex, POV Adrien Agreste, Romance, These Tags Are Boring, aliens I guess, different planet, how do you tag again, non-canon, please read I'm desperate, this summary sucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 08:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15793209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarslikeconstxllations/pseuds/scarslikeconstxllations
Summary: In the city of Cyton, resting on the planet Klantyr, everyone is expected to perform their birth-given duties without complaints or disagreement. The city is a utopia for the wealthy, and a dystopia for those born in the slums. While performing his duties, Adrien Agreste stumbles upon a mysterious and rather beautiful resident of the utopian part of the city. Believing that she is in danger, he attempts to save her from harm. However, he miscalculates, and she ends up coming to his aid just as he came to hers.





	Limerence

**Author's Note:**

> A.n. I'm really sorry for the horrible description! I appreciate you giving this a chance. <3 This was written as a submission for the Ladyblog on the Miraculous Amino, a team of which I am a part of. Permission was granted to post my work elsewhere so here it is!
> 
> The planet and city in this work are property of ME. DO NOT use them for anything because that is an act of plagiarism. I worked hard creating this city and planet. Please respect my wishes! Thank you and enjoy the story.

TThe sound of a blaring siren echoed through the streets. It bounced off the walls of the city, amplified by the looming metal buildings that litter it. The planet known by few beings was called Klantyr, and it was located in the nearly forgotten Lyrae Galaxy deep in the depths of space. The city of Cyton was just waking at such an early hour, the red sun sitting low on the horizon. Because of the minimal heat that the red star gave off, most of the planet was used to darkness. Unusual plants and vegetation of all different shapes, colors, and sizes grew on the outskirts of the city. In comparison to Earth, it was vastly different. However, Klantyr had nearly as much water stretching as far as the eye could see.

Adrien Agreste awoke to the high-pitched wailing of the city siren. Sitting up less than gracefully, he attempted to rub the sleep from his eyes. Once he could make out more than shapes and colors in his blurry vision, he climbed out of the small cot that was his bed and proceeded to shuffle into the bathroom. 

Adrien resided in a tiny shack in a crowded complex. Living in the slums of Cyton was like nothing one could imagine. The city was extremely advanced, and it made living in the slums even harder. He had a small bedroom and a bathroom that were nearly conjoined. Barely separated by a wall without a door, a ratty old curtain hung from the frame. He typically had to keep the windows closed to lessen the chances of an unwelcome breeze providing the neighbors with more than they wanted to see. The bathroom had a sink, a toilet, and a tub with a rusting shower head attached to the wall. Minimal storage was provided by a cabinet under the sink.

The other room he had consisted of a living room with a small kitchenette. There was an old oven and a hot plate for cooking, as well as an outdated microwave. The counter space and cabinet storage were sparse, but he made good use of what he had. The living room contained a raggedy old couch that had more than outlived its time on Klantyr, as well as a beaten-up coffee table and a radio. Adrien didn’t have the luxury of affording a television, but he enjoyed seeing them when he ventured into the heart of the city. It was a sort of treat for him.

The complex Adrien lived in was made for people who had a similar upbringing to his own. He had never known his parents. He was raised in a facility in the city center for orphaned creatures, then thrust into the workforce at a young age. His sole reason for existence was to help provide for the city. He worked in the equivalent of an engineering field, building and repairing various gadgets to help keep Cyton running. He was an inventor of some sorts, to put it more simply. The positive thing about the job was that he was able to make some of the tech that the city relied on. The drawbacks were that it didn’t pay for much, and he couldn’t afford to actually own any of the items he created.

After rinsing off with cold water in the shower, Adrien dressed in his work clothes. They consisted of a form-fitting grey t-shirt, a heavy black and grey jacket, simple black slacks, and grey work boots. The entire outfit was rather dull, and Adrien often longed for color. But that was the life of someone living in the slums; dull and grey. His clothes fit his drab lifestyle.

Once he was clothed, Adrien stepped into the kitchenette and began rummaging through the cabinets. After pulling out some stale bread and jam, he hurriedly prepared it and boiled some coffee on the hotplate. He couldn’t afford luxury items such as condiments and sweets, so he often had plain bread and black coffee. But he had previously saved up to buy a small jar of jam, and he certainly didn’t regret the purchase.

Adrien didn’t mind his living arrangements most days. At least he had electricity, running water, food to eat, and a roof over his head. The winter was brutal, however. The summer months were short due to the red dwarf star that Klantyr orbited. The nature of the red star meant that it had a much lower temperature than the stars that other planets with life relied on. The large distance away from the star and its small size also contributed to the coolness of Klantyr’s temperatures. 

Winter was a harsh reality for citizens of Cyton that resided in slums such as the complex where Adrien lived. Adrien relied on a small space heater in the winter, and plenty of blankets. Layers were also helpful for most occasions. The summer months weren’t that bad, as long as he kept the windows open and wore lighter clothing.

After swallowing his miniscule breakfast, Adrien grabbed his satchel and headed out of the shack. The door had recently taken a hit, so Adrien replaced it with a few stretched bedsheets. He didn’t have anything of value for people to take, so he wasn’t concerned about thieves. His main worry was about the extreme weather conditions. Though summers were typically mild on Klantyr, storms were often common. Thunderstorms, tsunamis, hurricanes, and twisters often wreaked havoc on the planet. In the much warmer parts of Klantyr, volcanic eruptions happened almost seasonally. Cyton was located in just the right location, aside from the harsh winters.

Adrien tied a black bandana around the lower half of his face. He then put on the goggles that originally rested atop his head. He had to take the railroad carts to get to the outskirts of the city before he could take the tram in the city center to his workplace. He trudged along the dirt path that trailed from his shack, heading in the direction of the carts. The scarf would protect his face from the openness of the carts, where dirt and stones would be flying up from the track. 

Finally, Adrien reached the tracks. Adjusting his satchel across his back, he waited until he could hear the roar of the carts heading towards him. The ground beneath his feet began to quake, the pebbles scattered across the dirt trembling with the force. Adrien braced himself in a crouching stance as the carts came into view. With a running start, he jumped onto the nearest available one. He crashed into the back wall but thankfully made it on with all of his limbs intact. Jumping on the carts every day was a huge risk.

Settling against the wall, he rested his elbows on his knees and stared out at the city passing by. The trains weren’t going extremely fast; they went much slower than the tram in the city did. He had plenty of time to admire the view going by. Unfortunately, the ground didn’t hold much beauty, since he was still in the slums on the outskirts of the city. But the skyline was a gorgeous mix of reds, oranges, and pinks as the red dwarf star rose along the horizon.

After a few minutes of admiring the view, Adrien began to see the city coming up on his left. He stood up and situated his bag, stepping closer to the edge of the cart. He waited a few moments before jumping out of the cart and rolling along the grass. Standing up after a few seconds of absorbing the shock, he tried to brush the grass and dirt off of his clothes. He would only get them filthy later, so it didn’t really matter. But he liked to at least look presentable when entering the city.

The city harvested a wide variety of species. Humanoids and creatures of all different species could be seen. Various languages floated through the air, but the most common one spoken was Klantis, the national language of Klantyr. The middle class tended to reside in the city center, while the upper class resided in what was commonly referred to as, “the utopia.” It was only partial sarcasm because the conditions of that part of the city truly made it a utopia compared to the rest of Cyton’s living conditions. If one stood atop one of the tall buildings in Cyton, they could see a group of clustered pointed buildings that all gleamed a shimmering gold. This was where the wealthy lived. It was a complex like where Adrien lived, yet the exact opposite of his conditions.

The utopian residents had access to the best technology and resources. This included the most bountiful selection of food, the clearest pristine water supply, the most advanced tech, the fastest web signal, and more. It was by far the wealthiest part of Cyton and may have been one of the wealthiest parts of Klantyr as a whole. 

That particular part of Cyton was special to Adrien for one reason. He didn’t necessarily envy it as much as the others. No, he was more concerned with the woman with whom he often saw roaming the grounds. From his workplace on the 25th floor of the 7th avenue glass dome known as Building #347960, he had a perfect view of that particular part of Cyton. 

He often saw her venture into the city center. Her favorite place to stop was a small stand that sold various fabrics and sewing supplies. Adrien passed it every day on his way to the glass dome. She appeared to dress in fine gowns made of what Adrien assumed was silk. He had never gotten the chance to see the garments up close. What interested him the most about her was that she always wore a cloak, never appearing to show her face or features at all. 

He wanted to speak to her. He wondered what her name was, what she was up to, and what she did to contribute to the planet they resided on. Adrien didn’t have any friends, but he was certain that if he tried she would become his. 

Crossing the borders of the city, Adrien hurried through the marketplace to get to the tram. Various vendors tried to sell their goods, shoving them in people’s faces as they passed through. Creatures gathered off to the sides of the market, watching him with curious eyes as he rushed by. He passed the stand that the mystery girl stopped at every day, and his curiosity peaked. He paused and took a few moments to admire the cloths that were being sold there. There were linens of all different varieties and colors. Deciding he had snooped enough, Adrien gave the vendor a half-smile and rushed off. 

After arriving at the tram station, he shoved a few silver coins in the hands of the rail guard. Nodding at him, the guard let him pass onto the platform. A few moments later, Adrien was seated on the high-speed train as it raced high above the city center. 

“This is Adrien Agreste clocking out,” Adrien spoke into the intercom of building #347960. The machine buzzed and flashed green, allowing him to exit. It was nearing sundown, and Adrien needed to get home before the chilling darkness fell upon Cyton. 

Although he didn’t harvest any valuables in his satchel or on himself, it wouldn’t stop bandits from searching him anyways. Double-checking to make sure he had all his belongings, Adrien then headed down the stairs. 

The tram didn’t run at this hour, so it meant that he had to walk back to the rail carts. Thankfully those ran at all hours of the day and night. Their main purpose was to deliver supplies to and fro, which the city depended on. 

Cyton was already sleeping as the red dwarf star began to paint the colors of what Earth would know as a sunset across the horizon. The vendors that prospered during the day had abandoned their stands. Cyton was nearly a ghost town. 

A few brave souls wandered the streets. The multitude of humanoid robots that occupied the city during the day were absent because bandits typically robbed them for mechanical parts. It was cruel and unnecessary torture, but ethics had never stopped a bandit. 

Adrien wrapped his scarf around the lower half of his face and continued to venture through the desolate city. It was best to hide one’s features and not to appear vulnerable. He managed to hide his satchel under his jacket. 

Hearing footsteps behind him, Adrien froze for a moment. Swallowing thickly, he tilted his head down and kept walking again. He tried to ignore the sound of multiple sets of feet pounding on the pavement. But when he heard a scream and the footsteps stop, he turned around abruptly. 

The group that had been following him had seemingly found a new target. A young woman was pressed against the wall of one of the few brick structures that existed on Cyton. Brick was considered a barbaric resource, meant for the outlying cities across Klantyr. The woman turned to flee, clutching the satchel in her hands protectively, but they persisted her. 

Adrien realized too late that they were bandits. Running in their direction, Adrien yanked off his own satchel and threw it at one of the bandits. They fell back against the wall with a cry of pain, due to the heavy equipment that Adrien kept in his bag. It kept the thug down long enough for Adrien to attack the others. He punched the second one in the face, but the third managed to get him in a chokehold.

Thinking he had no chance, Adrien motioned for the woman to run. Instead of fleeing, she turned abruptly and delivered a swift kick to the second bandit’s groin. Once they had fallen, she kicked them in the side and then punched the third one in the face. Adrien heard the thud of the third bandit falling and finally, his throat was freed from the choke hold. 

Gasping for breath, Adrien placed his hands on his knees and counted to ten in his head. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke. “And here I was thinking I was saving you,” he commented with a slight breathy laugh. 

The woman finally turned to face him, her cloak billowing around her ominously. Perhaps realizing that she looked rather threatening herself, she pulled down her hood and finally revealed her face. “Well, I can’t take the credit. If you hadn’t shown up, who knows what they would have done.” Her voice was smooth like honey, and Adrien felt it wash over him in a wave. It was a pleasantly light and delicate sound. 

The woman’s skin was a very pale blue. One eye was a soft grey, while the other was a vibrant turquoise. Her cheeks had strange silver markings swirling across them, which seemed to glow as she spoke. Her hair was as black as the midnight sky, falling over her shoulders and down her back like a waterfall. 

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish. “Oh, it was nothing.” He reached down and handed her the satchel she had dropped while picking up his own.

“I guess we’re even then?” she asked with the slightest hint of a smile. 

Adrien grinned. “I guess so.” As she turned to go, Adrien felt obligated to say, “I never caught your name.”

She glanced at him over her shoulder with a smirk. “That’s because I never gave it to you.” With that final statement, she headed in the opposite direction of that which Adrien needed to go. 

As he watched her disappear from sight, he smiled his first real smile in years.

There was something beautiful about the three moons that orbited Klantyr. Maybe it was the pale glow that they cast over the city, lighting up the various steel buildings. Or maybe it was the way they stood out in the blackness above, looking like pools of sparkling diamonds. Or maybe it was the way the moons seemingly protected the planet from harm, ensuring that it would never be bathed in darkness for too long. Whatever the reason, Adrien had always adored the moons. And in that instant, the moons were his sole proctors.

He crouched behind a gleaming building, his right side plastered to the wall. He was wearing a long black overcoat with a black scarf tied around the bottom half of his face. He had dark goggles on, shielding his eyes from the few strangers that were passing through at such a late hour. 

It had been three weeks since the incident with the bandits. Since then, Adrien had taken it upon himself to be the mystery woman’s bodyguard. Every day after clocking out, Adrien would venture into the heart of Cyton. Sometimes he would spot her, sometimes he wouldn’t. But she was usually around a particular set of vendors, most likely doing late trading before heading back to where she resided.

Speaking of her place of residence, Adrien had yet to see where she stayed. All he knew was that she disappeared over the hill at the north side of the city each night. He followed her until its base, where he could see the sparkling pointed buildings of the utopian castles. He wasn’t trying to stalk her, so he didn’t have any intention of using the knowledge of where she lived against her. For that reason, he left her a substantial amount of privacy. 

The sole reason he had been keeping an eye on her was to ensure that she would be safe as she traveled through Cyton so late at night. Yes, Adrien did think she was rather attractive, but his motives didn’t include his own personal benefit. He was purely concerned for her safety.

On that particular night, Adrien had nearly been spotted by her. He was taking extraordinary caution then, as to not be seen. To her, it would have looked troubling that someone she had last seen three weeks ago was following her around late at night. The more Adrien thought it over, the more he realized it would be hard for her to understand his true motives.

Moving from his place behind the building, Adrien crept forward once more. The tripled moonlight lit his path as he went, providing him with light for the way and cover in the shadows. He was about 50 meters behind the woman, keeping his distance but ensuring that he could still get to her if she was in any imminent danger. 

His foot caught on a stone ledge and he stumbled a bit, his head whipping up to see if she noticed. She didn’t. Satisfied, Adrien turned to go. She was nearly at the hill, so she should be safe then. With his back faced to her, he began to head in the opposite direction.

“Why are you following me?”

Adrien froze. Clearing his throat nervously, he continued walking again and hoped that she would leave it be. Of course, she didn’t.

“I know you’ve been following me,” her voice rang out in the deserted streets. “Are you at least going to tell me why? I’d like to know my stalker’s motives.”

Adrien finally turned to face her but kept his distance. “I’m not stalking you,” he said firmly, hurt at the accusation. He had to remind himself that from her point of view, it did look like stalking. 

“Then what are you doing?” she questioned in an incredulous tone. “You’ve been following me around for the past few weeks, wearing an all-black disguise. How else am I supposed to take that?”

Adrien backed up some more as the woman stepped closer. “I-I’m not stalking you,” he insisted again, putting his hands up defensively. “I’m just making sure you’re safe.”

She was close enough now that Adrien could see her raise a perfect brow. “Oh? And who hired you as my bodyguard?”

Adrien swallowed thickly. He knew she could see how nervous he was. “N-No one. I’m doing this on my own.”

“Hm, interesting,” she hummed, giving him a once over. When she reached out her hand and yanked off the scarf around his face, Adrien made no move to stop her. She waited until he slowly removed the googles before a smile broke out on her face. “Somehow, I had a feeling it would be you,” she commented, and Adrien didn’t know exactly how to take that.

“Disappointed?” he couldn’t help but ask.

She smirked. “Relieved is more like it. At least I somewhat know who you are.”

Adrien laughed nervously, taking another step back. “I’ll just be going now. I was truly concerned for your safety. After that incident I . . . Though you’re perfectly capable of defending yourself, don’t get me wrong,” Adrien added quickly. “Sorry if I worried you,” he said sheepishly. 

Her eyes searched his for a moment, lingering on his face. “How about we make a deal?” 

Adrien furrowed his brow. “A deal? What sort?”

She smiled, and it was then that Adrien realized the three moons in the sky had some serious competition. “Well . . . If you stop following me around since you’ve made it clear that you understand I’m capable of protecting myself, I’ll tell you my name.”

Adrien crossed his arms with a frown. “Well . . . I guess that would be okay. But is that really a fair trade?”

She raised a brow. “I think that it is, since you were so curious about it last time. But since you’re being so patient with me, I’ll sweeten the deal a bit. How about tomorrow before sundown, we take a walk through the city? The proper way,” she added with a smirk. 

Adrien blinked rapidly, trying to process what she was saying. Was that a date? Or was it an act to get him to leave her alone? She certainly sounded sincere. “Are you messing with me?” he asked curiously. 

Her expression was unreadable. “I guess you have no way of knowing for right now. But a deal’s a deal, after all.”

Deciding to take that as confirmation that she was indeed serious, Adrien agreed. “I’ll have to clock out of work before we can meet,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

She gave him a knowing smile. “I know.” Turning to head back down the road once more, she glanced at him over her shoulder. “Tomorrow before sundown, right in front of building #347960. Don’t be late.” When she was almost out of view, she added, “It’s Marinette by the way.”

Adrien was left to stare in amazement at the spot where her figure blended in with the skyline. “Marinette,” he said softly, testing out the name on his tongue. “I’ll be there.”

**Author's Note:**

> A.n. Please leave kudos if you liked this! Feedback is much appreciated as well. Thanks for reading and have lovely days/nights. <3


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